Your Direct Source For Ipe Decking

Monthly Archives: April 2013

We all know Ipe 5/4×6 deck boards are strong and reliable. We know you can build one of the strongest decks, porches, swing sets, or even park benches with this material. But, have you ever wondered if you could use a thinner piece of wood to build the exact same thing? You’re probably saying to yourself “A thinner piece of wood? That can’t possibly stand up to the thick indestructible Ipe 5/4×6 board!” Oh, but my friends, it can!

1×6 +Plus® is custom milled to produce stronger, more affordable decks. Because it’s milled with 2 extra millimeters (approx. 7/8″ thick), cupping, warping and twisting are less likely to happen. 1×6+Plus® Ipe can hold up to anything a 5/4×6 Ipe board can because it is made with the strongest building material on the market, Ipe decking.

Contractors actually prefer 1×6 +Plus®, not only because it’s as stable as 5/4×6 but because it’s cheaper. For example, a 5/4×6 Ipe on our site costs you $4.39 while an 1×6+ Ipe costs you only $3.98. Now $0.41 might not sound like that much but when you think about how much you’re buying it adds up to a 10-15% savings when compared to 5/4×6. This decking material is great for DIYers on a fixed budget.

We supply Ipe and Cumaru in 1×6+Plus® so call or click to get a free quote from us today: www.ipedepot.com.

Wondering what the best type of hardwood is for your indoor / outdoor floor, or deck? First you should consider where the product is going. If it’s going into a kids playroom or room that is often used you’ll want hardwood that is in actually hard. To calculate the hardness of a piece of a hardwood, the Janka hardness test is used. This industry standard test’s purpose is to measure the resistance of wood to denting and extensive wear. It works by measuring the force required to embed a .444 inch steel ball into the wood to half the ball’s diameter. How much force the ball needs to be embedded into your hardwood will show you if your hardwood is easily dented.

The hardness of the wood also varies on the direction of the wood grain. Testing on the surface of a plank perpendicular to the grain is known as side hardness. Testing on the cut surface of a stump is known as end hardness. The most common reason for testing is to determine whether the species of hardwood you have is a suitable use of flooring for your home.

Above is the list showing the hardness of various hardwoods. If you’re redoing your hardwood floors or renovating a deck remember to plan accordingly. If you have small children that enjoy dropping anything and everything they get their hands on then you’re going to want a harder type of flooring. The softer the wood, the more it will wear down while the harder the wood the longer it takes to wear down.

As you might expect, Ipe is exceptionally strong. It outranks Teak, Oak, and many other hardwoods. It’s also 8 times harder than Redwood, a fact that surprises many except those who own a deck or floor made of Ipe.